Committee backs bill to restore pregnancy-center grants, adds $1 million for maternity homes

The House Health Finance and Policy Committee voted 11–10 on Feb. 12 to recommend passage of House File 25, a bill that would restore state grant funding for pregnancy resource centers and create a separate $1 million grant stream for maternity homes.

Supporters said the measure restores an earlier, bipartisan program and provides housing and wraparound supports for pregnant people in crisis. Opponents, including Minnesota Department of Health officials and several Democratic lawmakers, said the bill risks reducing funding for evidence‑based sexual and reproductive health services and lacks required safeguards such as standards for medically accurate information and required referrals for abortion care.

House File 25 as amended directs $4,000,000 in total grant funding similar to the previous positive alternatives grant program. Representative Elisa Zalesnikar, the bill’s author, told the committee the amendment (A2) re‑allocates the prior $4 million so that $3,000,000 would be available to pregnancy resource centers and $1,000,000 would fund maternity homes, a housing model advocates said reduces stressors that contribute to poor maternal and birth outcomes. Zalesnikar said the bill is budget neutral and that it is intended to give people more options.

Testimony in support came from maternity‑home operators and pregnancy‑center leaders. Amber Hornsby, executive director and co‑founder of Esther Homes in St. Paul, described maternity housing that offers residents case management, financial literacy and goal‑setting; she said Esther Homes had 24 applications since November and that residents may stay up to 24 months (average 14 months).

Representatives from Wakota Life Care/Lakota Life Care Center, Lakes Life Care Center, Options for Women East and other local centers described programs that provide prenatal services, ultrasounds, material assistance and parenting education and urged restoring grant funding after the previous program ended in 2023.

Deputy Commissioner Wendy Underwood of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) told the committee that the bill ‘‘significantly reduces funding’’ for MDH’s sexual and reproductive health services program and warned that cutting those grants could force closures or reductions in services that provide education, screening, testing for sexually transmitted infections and referrals for medical care. Underwood also said some pregnancy centers do not provide care consistent with national clinical standards and may not have licensed medical providers.

Committee members debated oversight and accountability. Representative Tina Liebling and Representative Emma Bonner pushed for requirements that grant recipients provide medically accurate information and make abortion referrals when requested; Representative Zalesnikar said the program has a 17‑year bipartisan history and described the change as adding a housing component rather than eliminating options. Representative Purcell asked whether any centers had closed after the 2023 change; Zalesnikar said she did not have closure data on hand and offered to obtain it.

The committee adopted a multi‑page A2 amendment that staff described as adjusting MDH budget base figures and restoring language tied to a 2023 session law; the amendment was adopted by voice and the committee later recorded a roll‑call vote when recommending the bill to pass as amended and refer to the Judiciary Committee. The recommendation carried on a roll call of 11 ayes and 10 nays.

The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Sponsors and several members said they expect additional debate on the House floor and possible further amendments to add oversight or data‑privacy protections.

Votes at a glance: House File 25 as amended — committee recommendation to pass and refer to Judiciary, roll call 11–10.

The bill’s next stop is Judiciary; sponsors said they may also seek additional committee referrals for housing or related oversight work.